Suspended sentence for Aussie who killed girlfriend in Phuket

Thomas Keating (centre) arriving at Phuket police station with members of his family, and the family of his late girlfriend Emily Collie. Photo: Twitter/@7NewsMelb

A man who accidentally killed his girlfriend on a jet ski while on holiday in Thailand has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Tom Keating, 22, from Victoria, pleaded guilty in pleaded guilty at Phuket Provincial Court and the judge delivered her verdict over the death of Emily Collie, 20, on Thursday, reported the Herald Sun.

He was handed a one-year sentence, suspended for two years, for Ms Collie’s death.

Tom Keating (behind) has pleaded guilty to negligence causing death after his jetski collided with his girlfriend Emily Collie (front) while on holiday in Phuket, Thailand

Ms Collie (pictured) was on holiday with Keating when the pair rented jet skis at Kata Beach. Keating told the court the sun bouncing off the water blinded him just before the pair’s jetskis collided. Ms Keating was pulled unconscious from the water but died on the beach

Ms Collie died in February at Kata Beach in Phuket after the jetski she was riding collided with another jet ski being ridden by Keating.

Keating told the court he was blinded by the sun bouncing off the water just before the collision.

The judge said: ‘The defendant has been helping the family of the deceased … he paid for their aeroplane ticket and hotel and for her body to be sent back to Australia and her funeral.’

‘But he was unable to attend the funeral because he could not leave the country.

Keating (pictured in an ambulance after the incident) was charged with negligence causing death and fined 5,000 baht (AU$188)

The judge delivered her verdict in Thai and said Keating would pay for Ms Collie’s family to fly back to Australia and also for her boy to be transported home. Pictured is the scene on Kata Beach after Ms Collie was brought to shore

‘The girl’s parents understand that this happened accidentally.’

Keating was charged with criminal negligence that led to the death of Ms Collie and received a suspended sentence, as well as being fined 5,000 baht (AU$188).

He is expected to return to Australia in the coming days.

Keating was accompanied by family members, his lawyer and the Australian Consul-General for Phuket Craig Ferguson, while in court, reported The New Daily.

Pictured are jet skis similar to those believed to have been ridden by the pair at the time of the incident. Keating is free to leave Thailand and is expected to fly home in the coming days

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